Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Banana Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

I love when things just seem to fall into place in the kitchen. First, I had a banana I meant to use up in some muffins over the weekend but didn't. Second, I had some cream cheese frosting left over from my first-ever paid cupcake order. Then, as if it was all meant to be, my wonderful mommy bought me the new Better Homes & Gardens Cupcakes special edition. Add in the last few banana chips I had left in my trail mix and voila! You've got yourself one heck of a delicious cupcake!

4. In a large mixing bowl, beat butter on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar, 1/4 c. at a time, beating on medium speed until light and fluffy and scraping down sides of bowl. Add eggs, one at a time, scraping down sides of bowl after each addition.

5. Add in flour and banana mixtures, beginning and ending with the flour, and mix on low speed until just combined.

6. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full and bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

7. Allow to cool completely then frost and garnish. Keep in the refrigerator up to three days.

We have our own banana plants luckily enough, DH is an ex banana grower! I always make banana cakes to freeze, as i find the bananas themselves don't have much taste when thawed to use? I've done many muffins too, but this time thought i'd try some other things - i'm glad i did because this recipe is TO DIE FOR!! So light and fluffy, and the icing is perfect. I did icing with 250g of each, and still ended up with double the amount, but i didn't pipe it on, so probably would have used more... I'm making another batch of cakes tonight to use up the icing, and taking this lot to the school this afternoon to share with my daughters class :-) Thank you, this is definitely going to be a recipe to pass down!

Step #2 says to add baking powder and baking soda but you have no amount for baking powder in your ingredient list, only baking soda. I am already halfway started with this recipe so I hope I guess correctly.

Thanks! Since I didn't know I guessed and added 1 tsp and it came out fine, but next time I'll use the correct amount since you posted it. Even with that they came out perfect and fluffy and did not fall. I made them into mini cupcakes for my son's 2nd birthday because he doesn't care much for sweets and they were great because they aren't too sweet and the cream cheese frosting gives them a little tartness. I will definitely be saving this recipe! Thanks!